Rhonda Dye got the electrician’s call Monday evening. Everything necessary to power up a Christmas display she and fellow volunteers had erected outside the New Hope Community Center was completed. She didn’t waste any time. Dye and her husband, Richard, drove the short distance to the site. She flipped the switch, then felt a relieved thrill as all the LED lights and spots came on, illuminating the scene before her. A 40-foot-long shimmering “tunnel” of arches glowed. The 10-foot Christmas tree twinkled with multi-colored bulbs. Two friendly inflatable polar bears filled with air. The nearby open-air pavilion dripped with icicle lights. And at the center of it all, a nativity scene.
After taking in the sight for a while, the Dyes turned to go home, leaving the display lit for all to see.
“That first night after we turned it on, we were walking to the car and a zumba class was just getting out nearby,” recalled Dye. Unseen by the participants, she overheard the group’s oohs, aahs and happy exclamations.
“Just listening to it, I thought this is almost like a Secret Santa thing. This is cool.”
Mission accomplished for the community members who decided everyone needed a dose of cheer in a season that was losing its Christmas parades, parties and pageants to a global pandemic.
“Usually our church has a Christmas experience, something for families to bring the kids to, but due to COVID-19 regulations, we weren’t able to put that on,” said volunteer Jessica Tackett. She and Dye both attend New Journey Church in New Hope. “We still wanted to do something for the community to be able to enjoy, something to bring people together, but in a safe manner.”
When Dye suggested an outdoor attraction, the brainstorming began.
“It just took some people saying this is what we want to do, and we’re going to make it happen,” Tackett said. “And if Rhonda gets something on her mind, she’s going to make sure it’s going to get done.”
Dye remarked, “I realized a bunch of things were being canceled, and we wanted people to be able to enjoy a little bit of Christmas, not to have 2020 be a complete wash. So much has been taken away.”
Between mid-November and the official opening of the display held Thursday evening, complete with hot chocolate and refreshments, Dye, Tackett and a band of other volunteers got the job done, first coordinating with the Lowndes Recreation Department for permission to put the display up at the walking track at the community center. Recreation Manager Roger Short was quickly on board.
“I said I would love for them to do it,” Short said. “A group came to me and wanted to start doing a tradition.” Short even arranged for a 10-foot Arizona spruce tree to be planted for the purpose.
“It’s a fast-growing evergreen; it’ll be a great Christmas tree. It’ll grow and be there for them to use every year,” said Short.
In addition to Short and the Recreation Department, the coalition making the first annual display a reality included Robert and MaryAnn Benton of Military Hardware, who donated or provided materials at cost, Chad Weldon and Chris Weathers of Weldon Electric, Kevin Conn with Conn Construction, Rexel Southern Electric, New Journey Church and other volunteers who contributed skills and time.
“All these people donated to this project, and without them we could not have made this possible,” Tackett said.
The vision is that the display will become larger every year and be an anticipated annual event.
Dye noted, “We want to get the community involved. My vision is maybe next year others will want to add to it — it could be the Y, or the Boys and Girls Club, a school group, or maybe a family who wants to set up something.”
“We started this and hope in years to come to grow it year after year,” added Tackett. “This is just a start. We want to have more lights and more inflatables each year with help from the community, so people can come see it and get in the Christmas spirit.”
Dye has returned to the display many nights since Monday, often sitting in her vehicle in the parking lot, enjoying seeing others smile.
“Once there were like six teenagers; they were taking pictures, doing Tik Tok and just having a blast, and I’ve seen other families come out and take family pictures. … It’s amazing. Words can’t describe how happy it makes me to see people happy. This was a labor of love.”
Editor’s note: The display at the New Home Community Center at 381 Stadium Road will be illuminated every night through at least New Year’s Eve.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 48 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 48 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
